longing for what used to be
by byzinha
Summary: Everything changes when Santo Sato comes of age and dials the number upon his sister's request. He's moving out and they have a donor to meet. Their donor. How bad could it be? / A Makorrasami/The kids are all right AU
1. (mostly) ever after

**Author's note** : Hello there, please don't kill me. I'm nervous to publish things in these highly passionate fandoms, but here I am!

Hi. This is a "The kids are all right" AU that kept bugging me since I watched LoK at the beginning of the year. I love Korrasami, I can't wait for Turf Wars, but this au kept coming to me until I started writing. So I'm writing.

It will be composed by teeny tiny chapters of a canon-compliant future fic inspired by the 2010 movie "The kids are all right" that I absolutely LOVE. The plot is adapted, but the essence is here. If you watched the movie, you know what's endgame. I also swapped the kids' genders because of reasons. Title comes from The Offspring's song "The kids aren't all right".

I'll try to post every saturday and every wednesday, 'try' being the key word. I do intend to write/finish fast, seeing that the chapters are short and objective.

English is not my first language. Jenna ( **littlecajunlady88** ) is my beta reader. Reviews are welcomed.

 **Legend of Korra and everything in the Avatar universe is not mine.**

I hope you enjoy the ride and I see you soon.

* * *

 **longing for what used to be**

A Makorrasami/The kids are all right AU

* * *

1\. (mostly) ever after

It seemed a good idea at first, and it was not like they regretted the final result. The past couple of weeks had been hard, for sure, but as Korra and Asami hugged Santo in front of Republic City University and Major's arms enveloped them, they knew that the regrets were minimal.

Twenty years ago, Avatar Korra defeated Kuvira and her Earth Empire, and shortly after she had the vacation of her life with Asami, the woman she loved. Even though they were young and full of years ahead of them, within a year the baby talk began. It was more or less around the time Korra helped deliver a little girl at the bender special prison.

" _Moms_ ," Santo whined, and they finally let go of him, Asami sniffing more than anyone else.

"You're just so grown up!" she exclaimed and blew her nose in a tissue. "Our baby boy."

Major snorted. She was the third best person to embarrass him, only behind their mothers.

"Don't get too comfy, big brother, I'll be joining you in a couple of years."

"Uh," Korra interrupted. "No, you won't. You'll be going to the Northern Water Tribe College to get better at your healing."

Major opened her mouth to protest, but Asami shook her tissue between the two of them.

"We'll have plenty of time to discuss that," she said and the three of them turned to Santo again. The man of the house. Their firebender prodigy. "We're only a train ride away."

"I know," he said.

"And if your father tries to contact you again-" Korra started, but Santo shook his head.

"He won't. And I'll know what to do. Don't worry, Mom."

"I'm not worried, I'm just…" Korra sighed. She looked at her family, thinking about all the damage control she had yet to do, but Major was smiling again, and Asami didn't seem to hate her anymore, so maybe things were better than expected. She looked at Santo. "Go rock the world, baby, I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you, Mom," he said letting her hug him again. Yeah, there was hope.

* * *

 **a/n** : a prologue of sorts. things will be chronological from chapter 2 and ahead. thanks for reading ^^


	2. the right to a phone call

2\. the right to a phone call

The contract said that they could contact Bolin once they were eighteen, and Santo had turned eighteen less than a month ago. They met Bolin before, but never as their mediator; in fact, Major was good friends with his older daughter, Emerald, since they were little. She tried to find out what or if her friend knew anything about the contract, but with no success.

Mothers told them about the contract when Major turned 8, which was about three months after Santo's 10th birthday. They were "invited" to sit in their Omashu living room and watched in confusion as their mothers passed the hot potato from one to the other until it settled on Asami's lap.

"Okay, it's time you two have more details about it," she started and Korra held her hand. "You know you have the same father, but we never talked much about him."

"More like didn't talk about him at all, but okay," Santo commented and shrugged.

"Yeah, that's true," Korra agreed. "But that's because he's not family, exactly. We were looking for a donor, and considered him a good option. We made a deal and signed a contract. We wanted to have you guys, and we trusted him to help us."

Santo snorted at that. Major didn't understand why. Mothers blushed.

"But there's something else," Asami kept talking, so that an awkward silence wouldn't settle. "In the contract, we decided… well, you guys can know who he is, if you want."

Major sat up straighter, listened carefully. Not that her mothers weren't enough, but she was just so curious to know more. She did some math before, concluded that their biological father was a firebender, because of Santo, and that he probably had golden eyes, like hers, but that was all she could gather. Her guess was General Iroh, but she was probably wrong. She wanted to know _more_ , was that too much to ask?

"Bolin, he's mediating this," Asami continued. "When you turn eighteen, you can contact him and ask him about your biological father. Then, he'll contact your donor to see if he agrees on revealing his identity. And then we go from there, but _only_ after you turn eighteen."

Any time Major asked Bolin about her donor, he wouldn't answer. _How old are you again?_ , he'd ask and she'd just have to drop it. But at the moment… Major stopped at Santo's door.

"Did you think about it?" she asked and her brother sighed.

"Do you think it's necessary, Maj?" he asked. His luggage was all around the room, so organized it was disturbing. "I mean, I don't know if I want to meet him."

"Santo…" she pouted. "Come on, have I ever asked for anything?"

He knew what she meant and damn, she was right. She was right. So mostly against his will, he went upstairs and found the contract in the office, read all the clauses carefully, just to make sure he wouldn't break any. And then he got Bolin's number to call the following day.

To be fair, Santo was a _tad_ curious too, so all the hardest parts happened _before_ Bolin picked up the phone.

" _Bolin speaking_."

"Hi, hello," Santo said awkwardly. "It's Santo Sato."

" _Santo! Buddy!_ _You all right? Getting ready for the big city?_ " Bolin asked excitedly.

"Omashu is not so small either," Santo argued and on the other side of the line, Bolin laughed.

" _You know, that's right, it really isn't. One time, I got lost in the sewers._ "

Yeah, Santo wasn't sure he wanted to hear that story.

"Uh, Bolin…" he started. He had a resumed copy of the contract in a ripped notebook page on his hand. "You know it was my birthday a while ago. I turned eighteen."

There was a moment of silence on the line.

" _Oh,_ " Bolin said at last. " _You want to know?_ "

"Yes."

More silence, and then he sighed.

" _Are you sure?_ "

Not really. But Major was, and that was enough for him.

"Yes."

" _Are your mothers on board with it?_ "

Crap. He didn't tell Mothers. He didn't want to tell them. So he just lied.

"Yeah, of course!" Santo made a face, cussing his fake over-enthusiasm. Luckily, Bolin didn't notice.

" _Okay, then. I'll talk to him and I'll get back at you in a couple of days, that okay?_ "

"Sure," Santo agreed. "We'll be in Republic City by then, I think."

" _Republic City? Already?_ " Bolin asked. Something about his tone caught Santo's attention. Was their donor in RC? " _Okay, fine. Maybe I will tell you in person. Is the whole family coming? I miss Korra and Asami._ "

"Yeah, we're preparing for the beginning of my classes this fall and all the changes, yada yada."

" _Oh, this is so cool!_ " Say what you want about Bolin, he was the best supportive person one would ever know. " _Santo! You ready to see Jordyn again?_ "

On his side of the line, Santo blushed through and through.

"What is that? Uh, I think Major needs my help with her bags," Nice save, Sato. "We'll talk in a couple of days, then?"

Bolin laughed.

" _Yeah, Santo. We'll talk._ "

They had no idea what awaited them.


	3. not so perfect

3\. not so perfect

"You didn't tell me you were getting a mobile," Asami commented when they were brushing their teeth after dinner. The extra car in front of their garage surprised her when she got home that evening.

"Yeah, I need to stop renting sky bison from Tenzin, now that Naga is gone," Korra replied sadly.

Naga had been gone for almost a couple of years now, and they still had one of her puppies, but Fraction was Major's companion, not Korra's, and she'd been a little lost ever since.

"You could've told me, I'd get you one of Future's new models," Asami said and spit in the sink. "You should've seen them, they are so silent."

And the mobile Korra chose looked like a pile of junk, but Asami wouldn't say that. She'd been fearing her timing lately, what with polar beardogs and kids going to college.

"I thought we could fix the car together, something for us to do," Korra said and washed her mouth. Asami smiled. "Like an activity."

"Oh, babe, right now? We're so busy with Santo moving out, and my job…" she drifted off when she saw Korra's face. "We're leaving tomorrow. You could've waited until we came back."

"I didn't want to," Korra said, and for a second Asami could hear that stubborn seventeen year old in front of her again.

"Korra, the car will be sitting in our garage for two months until we come back," she pondered.

"So what?"

Asami sighed and washed her mouth too. Korra was brushing her hair. It was going past her waist now, in the best water tribe style, while Asami decided to keep her hair just a little down her shoulders.

"Look, Fraction is coming with us, so the garage will be clear of all the snow," Korra argued. "That means that the car will be safe and sound waiting for us. We can start working on it when we get back, no big deal."

Sounded promising, but two months in Republic City meant that Asami would have a lot of catching up to do, especially lining up the Omashu and RC industries in order for them to work in sync again. Korra grunted, taking Asami from her reverie.

"I'm just so bored!" she complained. "I wish I still had my connection with Avatar Aang, he would sure know what to do in this city."

"Korra, you're constantly doing Avatar stuff all over the world, how come you get bored?" Asami asked and Korra stared at her.

"You're so smart, Sami," she said bitterly. "Why don't you think harder?"

Korra dropped the hairbrush in the sink and left the bathroom without another word; Asami stared at the place her wife had been just a few seconds ago and then she blinked confused. She spotted the hairbrush full of loose hairs.

"Babe, we just cleaned the drains!" she called out, taking the brush to clean it.

Korra didn't hear her. She already was downstairs and through the door to the garage, where it was cold and snowy like home. Major was there brushing Fraction's fur; the beardog's fur as dark as the girl's long hair. It was one of the two things Major inherited from her father - the black hair - the other being her golden eyes. Other than that, everyone said Major looked like Korra.

"Wanna do it?" Major offered without taking her eyes from Fraction. Korra came close and Major handed her the brush. "You think she'll like Republic City?"

"If she's anything like her mommy, of course," Korra answered.

Fraction was part of Naga, but so completely different. Her dark fur was longer; she was shaggy and homebody, and never had to fight in her life, which was a good thing, probably. It meant that Korra was doing a good job as the Avatar.

"Can I braid your hair, Mom?" Major asked and Korra nodded. She knew she should be suspicious of her antsy kid being this sweet, but right now she didn't have the energy. "Do you wish to get another companion, mom?"

Korra sighed sadly; her daughter's fingers in her hair were comforting.

"No," she answered. "Not yet, at least."

"Mommy," Major said softly. "When does grief go away? I'm tired of seeing you so sad."

"Major," Korra said turning around. "What are you up to?"

The girl blushed, making her mother laugh.

"I'll be fine, kiddo," Korra said turning back again to let Major finish the braid. "Maybe I just need a break, and this family trip is the best opportunity for that."

"I think so, too, mom," Major said with a little smirk. "We're gonna have fun."


	4. brotherly

4\. brotherly

"Are you a hundred percent sure of it?" Bolin asked for the millionth time following Mako around his office at the police department.

"Bo!" Mako exclaimed. "I'm gonna see them anyway, won't I? With them staying in the city and everything. And he said he wanted to meet me."

"Yeah," Bolin said. Why did he agree to mediate this mess? "But it's complicated."

"You think I don't know that?" Mako said with exasperation.

Almost nineteen years ago, Asami and Korra approached him with a proposal: would he help them get pregnant? Now, that sounded crazy, yes, but he loved them, and they loved him and he wanted them to be happy, so they decided to give it one try each. If it didn't work, they'd adopt. Okay, sounded plausible.

Asami came first. By that time, she already had started to establish Future Industries in Omashu and Korra offered to take the lead so Sami would have more time for the company, but having kids had been Asami's idea and she was adamant she could do both.

They consulted healers, and programmed a calendar and she came over for a three day try. Her three days of high fertility in the month. Boom, pregnant.

Mako only heard about the results a couple of years later when Korra contacted him. She wanted a baby too, and it'd be wonderful if the kids were blood related. You know, same father. He kind of had signed up for both from the start, so what the hell. Three days of high fertility, and three days a little wild, because that's just how Korra was. Is, probably. It was hard to think that she would change.

Oh, yeah, Asami had had a boy. A green eyed firebender smarter than any kid his age in Omashu Kinder. Mako thought it was the mother in Korra singing praises, like mothers do, but now Bo said that the kid was first in the Engineering program of RCU, sweeping out even Ean Varrick, so that was something.

Mako turned to his younger brother. They heard the sound of something crashing on the other side of the door and he felt bad for his officers. If Wing Beifong couldn't handle his nephew, no one could.

"I'm sure, Bo," Mako said with certainty. "Give him my number. Now go get Posh before he destroys the precinct."


	5. last minute

5\. last minute

"COME ON, SAN! WE DON'T WANT TO START LATE!" Asami called from downstairs and Santo took a deep breath, looked around his room one last time.

He didn't know when he'd come back now, probably the end of the year. But there was always the possibility of going to the South Pole for the southern lights. _This year_ , Jordyn wrote to him, _they could try to make the trip through the Spiritual world_. Wouldn't that be neat? Santo was sure Mother would approve.

Looking down at his hands, Santo ran his thumb over the buttons of his Future Smarty prototype and the screen lit up showing Jordyn's text again, right in time to see a new one appear under it.

 _I can't wait to C U_ – she wrote, making him smile.

 _Can't wait either_ – he wrote and hit send. And then – _I miss U_

Even though they hardly spent much time together anyway during their lives. Santo, Jordyn and Ean were best friends, the kind that distance couldn't interfere.

His Smarty vibrated and he quickly looked at the screen hoping to see another text from Jordyn, but instead it was from Bolin. Santo opened it right away.

 _Tomorrow Jasmine Dragon downtown brunch OK? Table 4 3_

Santo swallowed. Downstairs, he could make out the faint sounds of Major trying to convince Fraction to get into Mom's car. He took a deep breath and typed his reply.

 _Sure. Tell him Maj is allergic to nuts. Tnks_


	6. from another mother

6\. from another mother

After a fourteen hour drive, they finally pulled up at the Sato Estate, everyone stiff and complaining from the trip. Santo wasn't sure he had driven so much in his life. They came in two cars, his and Mother's, but they only had three drivers in the family, so someone had to stay behind the wheel for longer.

At least for the last couple of hours Major got to drive with Santo, so he could tell her about their meeting the next morning, instead of having Korra teasing him about the amount of texts he was getting from Jordyn.

There was someone waiting on the stairs when they arrived that evening, and Santo was glad to see that it was Ean. He hopped out of the car smiling and greeted his friend.

"Oh, come here you awkward firebender!" Ean said when Santo offered his hand to shake and hugged him.

"What are you doing here? I thought I'd see you tomorrow!" Santo asked still so surprised. Gladly, but surprised. Ean let go of the hug.

"We wanted to surprise you guys! But of course Jordyn is running late. She's always late, I swear to La! I keep telling her that her pretty face won't save her from everything. I mean, look at her mom."

"Yeah," Major barged in. " _But_ her mom still is the most beautiful prisoner of the United Nations," she pointed out and the boys had to agree.

"Who?" asked Korra passing by them with a box in her hands.

"Kuvira," Major answered and her mother nodded.

"Oh, my! Yes! I swear that woman is like wine, she only gets prettier and prettier," she said frowning. "It's really annoying."

They all laughed.

"How you doing, Ean?" Korra asked, managing to give him a half hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"And how you like being second?" Major provoked, making Santo laugh. Korra looked at them with narrowed eyes.

"As a matter of fact, I hate it," he replied and then turned to Korra. "And I'm fine, thanks!"

"Don't mind her," she said and turned to Major. "Go get Fraction out of that car, young lady."

"It's okay!" Asami said pulling at the beardog's leash. "I've got it!"

"You totally don't!" Major corrected and rushed to her mother's aid.

She quickly convinced Fraction to get out of the car, promising that she'd build a snow fort in her bathroom if she did. Republic City wasn't as warm as Omashu, but it was always safe to have some snow around anyway, because without it Fraction would get a little anxious. Their theory was that it reminded her of Naga. When Major joined Santo and Ean again, roughly two minutes later, they were talking in some complicated engineering language that made her growl.

"Nerd convention!" she exclaimed, doing her best to sound extremely bored. Seriously, her brother and his friends were cool, but they weren't _nearly_ as fun as Emerald.

"Wow, Fraction, it's been a while!" Ean said and he let the beardog sniff his hand. "Did she grow more?"

"I guess?" Major shrugged. "I think she reached her full size, though-"

Major was interrupted by the honk of a motorcycle that rushed by and almost collided with Santo's car. Jordyn jumped out of it hardly after it stopped and ran up the stairs taking off her helmet, her pretty black hair falling on her back in a mess.

"I'm late! I'm so sorry, I was helping my dad!" she was saying and then she dropped the helmet to hug Santo.

Hugging Jordyn wasn't nearly as awkward as hugging Ean. Major rolled her eyes and Ean pretended to feel nauseated.

"Hi," Santo said when they finally stepped back.

"Hi," she replied and then she turned to Major. "Hi Maj! You look all grown up."

"Tell that to my moms," she said. "They still treat me like a kid."

"Oh, but that goes to everyone," Jordyn said. "I'm almost in my twenties and my dad's still _soooo_ overprotective."

"You're not 'almost twenty'," Ean cut her. "Your next birthday will be in a year!"

Before a discussion would start, Major stepped back.

"Okay, this," she said pointing generally in the three friends' direction. "Is officially too much for me. I'm out. Come on, Fraction!"

They watched Major and Fraction run up to the house and giggled at the girl's behavior. She was funny.

"Seriously, though," Santo said when she already was inside. "You didn't need to come all the way here tonight."

"Of course we did!" Jordyn replied emphatically. "What other excuse would we have to crash in a mansion?"

The friends laughed. By then, the servers already had brought all of the family things inside and were now taking the cars to the garage.

"Besides," Ean said. "I already asked your cooks to make us some pizza."


	7. synchronized

7\. synchronized

"He's Bolin's brother, you remember him from moms' photos? Mako," Santo was telling Major after they were led to their table.

"Yeah, I tried to find some photos from when they were teens at the house, found a couple," she replied playing with the cup coaster. "He's the one who dated both our moms, right?"

"From what I gathered."

"Weird," Major concluded.

"You think?" Santo joked and they chuckled. "Oh, Maj! Him being Bolin's brother means that you _are_ related to Emerald after all!"

"See?" Major exclaimed. "I knew we had to have some blood relation, we're just…" she snapped her fingers and winked. "You know?"

"Oh, I know," Santo nodded.

Someone approached their table and the siblings looked up to a tall man with fair skin, golden eyes and black hair, very Fire Nation-y.

"Santo?" he asked and the boy stood up, Major following suit.

"Oh, yeah, that's me," he said, offering a hand. "This is my sister Major."

"Hi, I'm Mako," the man said shaking Santo's hand and then Maj's. "But you already knew that, it's just… anyway. Shall we sit?"

They sat down and Major raised an eyebrow at Santo. Now she knew where her brother's awkwardness came from.

"Uh… did you order already?" he asked and they shook their heads.

"Just chai," Major told him. "No food yet, though I'm _starving_."

"Well, let's order then." Mako looked right at Major and she smiled. "Wow, you look just like your mom," he said with a little sigh. Maj ran her hand on her hair, putting her braid over her shoulder and then playing with the tip of it.

"You think? Lots of people say that, but I don't know. Kinda hard to think you look like the Avatar, you know? Were you good friends with her? How was she when she was my age?"

"Major," Santo warned, but she made a point of ignoring him.

"Well…" Mako started and took a deep breath. "Okay, I haven't gotten an overdose of questions like this since Ikki was like twelve! Let's see… yeah, you look a lot like Korra, and we were good friends, very good friends. How old are you?"

"Fifteen," she answered fast. Mako made a face.

"I met Korra when she was seventeen, so I wouldn't know. Sorry."

"It's okay," Major said clearly shrinking a little in her seat. Mako turned to Santo.

"So, you got into RCU," he said. Santo nodded. "Must be really smart. It's the Asami in you, I guess."

Santo shrugged.

"I got a scholarship with pro-bending in BaSSU, but all my friends live here, so…"

The waiter came with the siblings' chai, making Santo drift off.

"Oh, yeah," Mako nodded. "Yeah, Bo's niece is always talking about you, Baatar's girl. Uh, can you bring me some mint tea and fire crackers, please?"

"Pancakes for me," Major requested raising her hand.

"I'll go with fire crackers too," Santo said and then turned to Mako. "If I could pick a junk food to eat forever, I'd be fire crackers. That shit is so good!"

"So good!" Mako replied excitedly. "It was all I wanted to eat when I was a kid! Whenever we were feeling fancy, I'd have Bo cleaned out, because you know, he was the most likely to not getting kicked out of a store out of the two of us, and I'd give him the money to buy us some."

"Oh, yeah, Bolin said you lived in the streets," Santo said somberly. "Must've been so hard."

Mako shrugged.

"I mean, compared to now…" Major added in. "Emerald told me all about how her uncle had been promoted to Chief of Police, indicated by Lin Beifong herself and all. That's a classic example of started from the bottom."

"Now we're here, yeah," Mako nodded. "I guess we could see it that way, Marj."

That was a little bit of silence in the table. Something vibrated.

"It's Maj," the girl said evenly. "Short for Major. _Maj_."

"Yeah, of course. Sorry." She just narrowed her eyes at his half ass apology. "What is that?" Mako asked pointing at Santo's Smarty.

"What?" Santo asked, not looking up from the text he was reading. It was from Ean and it was silly. He quickly glanced up at the man sitting in front of him. "Oh, it's a new Future Smarty prototype. Only like, ten people in the world have one."

"Ten people, really?" he exclaimed and the kids nodded. Major even got her Smarty from her pocket.

"Yeah," Santo confirmed and started counting his fingers. "Me and Maj and moms, that's four. Varrick and Zhu Li."

"But not Ean," Major pointed out.

"Yeah, not Ean."

"Because he got second," she said.

"That's not why," Santo corrected elbowing her. "Uh… Grandpa Tonraq, Eska and Desna, and Tenzin, though he hates it and we're pretty sure Rohan is the one using it."

"Cool, I did see Chief Tonraq with a different device, but he didn't tell me much about it. I still have one of the first models of Future Smarty," Mako said taking his Smarty from his pocket and putting it on the table.

"Wow!" the kids exclaimed.

"That's like," Major said. "Really old."

"It is, thanks for the reminder," Mako joked. It was weird when he joked. "So what's the difference from my model to yours?"

Santo put his Smarty on the table right next to Mako's. For a start, his device was a couple of inches square bigger than the other, and it had a full keyboard where he could type his texts more easily.

"Basically, it has more memory," he explained. "You can still do the basic stuff, like calls and texts, but you can also take pics, see?" he turned the device around and showed the small camera attached do it.

"Really? Photos with a Smarty?" Mako said wowed. "And how would you get them revealed?"

"Well," Santo kept on with his explanation. "You see this entry? We put a cable here and connect the phone to a Polaroid camera, or you can connect it to a Varri-comp and keep the picture _there_."

Mako seemed impressed. Their food arrived and Major drowned her pancakes in syrup.

"That was actually the project I submitted," Santo continued. "Trying to find a better way of synchronizing all your electronic devices. Like your radiovision and your phone and your Varri-comp, everything."

"Impressive and bold," Mako said.

"Technology is evolving at light speed, we gotta know how to read the trends, that's all."

"Okay, now you sounded just like Varrick," Mako said. "Is his kid rubbing off on you?"

Major scoffed on her pancakes and Santo laughed.

"I mean, we _are_ best friends," he shrugged and then popped a cracker in his mouth.

"You said you got a scholarship in Ba Sing Se because of pro-bending?" Mako asked after sipping his tea. "What do you bend?"

"Hm… fire," Santo said. "I'm a firebender."

Major rolled her eyes. Seriously, what's with the question, that one was easy to crack! His mom is a non-bender, donor a firebender, do the math! She stabbed her pancakes maybe a tad too fiercely and started to tune them out.

That brunch sucked.


	8. caught

8\. caught

"Mom! Look!" Major called and positioned herself just like the Avatar Korra statue at the central park.

"I can barely tell the difference!" Asami said and Korra elbowed her playfully. "No, seriously. Spitting image."

"Come on, we've been over this," Korra pleaded. "Let's go, Major, or we'll be late."

Major, who was excitedly showing the statue to Fraction, turned around confused.

"But Emerald said they would be coming here," she said joining them. "The bridge by Avatar Korra's statue."

"When did she say that?" Asami asked and Major showed her her Smarty.

"Five minutes ago?"

"That's weird," Asami said taking out her own Smarty. "I told Bo we'd go meet them."

Major looked down and Fraction sat on her hind legs. Too bad for them, Korra knew how to read them well.

" _Major_?"

The girl caved really fast.

"I might have told her that we were killing time here. But I didn't tell her to come, I just mentioned!" she added quickly. A rush of air passed by them, making their hair go up and Major smiled. "Posh!"

"No bending in the park!" Bolin came in running after, but so behind Posh it was hilarious. "No bending in the park!"

"I've got it, Daddy," Emerald said scanning the frantic pattern of Posh's run. She took a steady station, extended her arms gracefully and stomped her foot once, closing her hands at the same time and trapping her brother to the ground. "Hell yeah! Beifong style!"

Bo sighed.

"I said no bending! Sometimes I feel like snitching you out to your uncle myself."

"Emmy!" Major exclaimed as Emerald stood straighter and dusted off her clothes, and the next moment the two girls were screaming and hugging.

Bolin looked at Korra and Asami. He seemed tired, but looked fine. He basically wore the expression Tenzin had when Korra moved to RC all those years ago. His seriousness didn't last much as he quickly opened a smile and hugged them.

"How's my favorite power couple?" he asked, crushing them in a hug.

"Oh, Bo!" Korra exclaimed with a happy sigh. "It's so good to see you!"

They untangled from the hug and walked to where Posh still was grounded. He was desperately looking for airbending ways of getting out of it. Bolin held the eight year old's arm before he freed the kid.

"If you don't behave, I'll bury your shoulders deep!" he threatened and Posh's eyes widened. Korra doubted that Bo would really _do_ that, but that sure would be the Beifong style.

"Is that what Lin taught you?" Asami asked. "Because you know she's not very good with kids."

"She's doing an alright grandma job," Bo pondered. "It's not like we'll find cookies at her place when we go there or anything, but…" he shrugged. "Don't tell her I used the term 'grandma' referring to her, she _will_ bury me."

"I bet she would," Posh said all serious. "Grandma Lin is tough this way."

"Oh, he can…" Korra started. Bolin nodded.

"The kids can call her that, yeah. Double standards, man, they are so hurtful."

"You think?" Asami joked crossing her arms.

Major and Emerald passed by them on Fraction's back, both girls laughing at something. Korra whistled to make the beardog stop before they went too far.

Bolin's kids had practically the same skin tone as Major, so they blended in easily. The main difference was the signature green eyes. The only Beifong that came out "wrong" was Jordyn, whose eyes were Water Tribe blue.

"How's Opal? I thought she'd come with you," Asami asked.

"She's with the little one," Bo answered. "Gummy had a little bit of the flu today, so she wanted to make sure he was taken care of."

"Done with the acolytes?"

" _Boy_ …" he said with a heavy sigh and the women laughed, but they knew well what he meant. Having acolytes around was sometimes _a lot_. "Oh, I spoke to Mako at lunch!"

"You did?" Korra asked unsurprised. They were brothers living in the same city, she would only expect for them to stay close.

"Yeah, he said he loved meeting the kids!"

Asami and Korra stopped short.

" _WHAT?_ " They asked together and Bolin frowned.

"The kids…" he started a little confused. "Met with him this morning… to meet him…?"

"Is _that_ what they were doing?" Asami said rather harshly and Korra held her hand.

"Babe, come on," Korra said more softly, and then she turned to Major, who was standing a few feet from them with her eyes wide and without moving. It would be comical, 'would' being the key word, if only she wasn't in trouble. Korra took a deep breath, the ground under them trembled. "What the fuck did you do?"

Major smiled weakly and Bolin let out a shaky laugh.

"Okay… let's all just… be calm…" he turned to Major too. "I don't want to start a feud or anything, but didn't Santo say they were on board with it?"

The girl grinned even more.

"… _Yeah_ …" she said prolonging her vowels. "There might have been a lie in there…"


	9. awkward little talk

9\. awkward little chat

"You guys are shamelessly enjoying yourselves, I see," Santo said joining his friends by the pool.

"You betcha!" Jordyn replied from her recliner, a pink drink in her hand. She was wearing a green and grey bikini and Santo could _swear_ she had more muscles than him.

Earthbending was something else entirely. And he had to stop staring at her.

"So, how was it?" Ean asked from the pool as Santo took off his shirt and shorts.

"It was nice," Santo said sincerely. "He's really cool. A little awkward, but-"

Ean scoffed.

"Yeah, now we can understand _you_ ," he joked, making Jordyn chuckle.

Santo sat by the pool, his feet in the water, and Jordyn joined him, offered him his drink. It was alcoholic and sweet.

"Where did you get this?" he asked and took another sip.

"Sweetheart, even _you_ can get one of these now, you're eighteen!"

"Uhuuul!" Ean added from the pool, doing a little dance. Santo smiled.

"I crashed into your kitchen," Jordyn confided leaning closer. "Hope you don't mind."

"Oh, _I_ don't mind," Santo assured. "Can't say the same about the cooks."

Ean threw water on them, startling them.

"Hey, we're having a serious talk here, ladies!" he complained. "Chief Mako is Santo's dad! That's kinda awesome. Besides, he's a total DILF."

Santo made a face, but Jordyn fell back laughing.

"Ew! Ean!"

"What, he is! Jordyn knows him better than me, tell San I'm right."

Jordyn was still laughing, but she managed to sit up again. She had a speckle under her eye just like her mother. When they opened the history books and learned about the Earth Empire's conflict, it was like seeing Jordyn all over the pages whenever Kuvira was portrayed. Except that Kuvira never smiled and Jordyn had the most beautiful laugh Santo had ever heard.

"I mean, he _is_ hot, I guess, in a classic mover star way," she admitted.

"Ew," Santo repeated.

"Even though Uncle Bo _is_ the real mover star," Jordyn pondered. "But, I mean… I don't know about being DILF hot."

"Are you kidding me?" Ean protested. "Classic mover star is _the_ definition of DILF hot."

"Please, stop saying the word 'DILF'," Santo begged.

"You look like him, a little," Jordyn said reaching out and touching his hair. "I didn't notice before, but I guess I didn't know what I was looking at."

Santo looked at her and smiled, and Jordyn blushed, she dropped her hand and clasped her fingers together. In the pool, Ean rolled his eyes.

Santo and Jordyn had kissed the total of one time when he was six. She stole a kiss from him, and he still remembered the teasing. Bumi joked that the exact same thing had happened with Lin and Tenzin when they were kids, and Tenzin said he got the same exact amount of shit for it.

It never happened again, at first because _ew_ , and then because… he didn't know why. They were good friends, there was that, and of course he loved her. The question was, _should_ they be something more?

"So, San," Jordyn spoke first with a smirk. "How does it feel to know that, given the opportunity, Ean would totally bone your dad?"

"Oh, my!" Santo exclaimed and slid to the water, which only made Jordyn laugh more. After a few seconds he came through. "You two are the _worst_."

They didn't get to say anything else, because Major came in running, her hair a mess as she skidded in front of them. She had to take a few deep breathes before she was able to speak.

"Moms know," she said leaning on the recliner Jordyn had been on just minutes ago. "Bolin told them, they know."

Well… fuck.


	10. extra dose

10\. extra dose

"What bothers me the most is that they didn't even _tell_ us that they wanted to know who Mako was," Korra said in the kitchen. She was sitting by the table, her feet on the next chair. Asami poured herself a glass of wine. "I wouldn't mind!"

"You _wouldn't?_ " Asami asked skeptically.

"I mean, there's no harm in it. Besides being the donor, he's our friend and he'd meet the kids anyway eventually. I just wanted to know _from them_ that they were curious about him."

"I don't like this at all," Asami said. She needed all her self-control not to drink that wine in one go. "Don't you feel betrayed? Like our kids don't think we're enough?"

Korra frowned and thought about it before she shook her head.

"No, I don't," she said and Asami scoffed as she filled her glass again, even if it wasn't completely empty yet. "We knew that was a possibility when we decided to have them! And we know what _all_ the drama of not even knowing who their fathers were did with the Beifongs."

"You are not comparing our kids to Lin and Su!" Asami protested and Korra took a deep breath. "And we are not Toph!"

"Exactly," Korra pointed out. "That's why we gave them the option to know who he is."

Asami scoffed and drank more of her wine, so Korra got up and closer to her.

"What's bothering you, babe?" she asked taking the wine bottle and putting it on the table. "Talk to me."

She rubbed Asami's arm warmly, who sighed leaning close to Korra.

"I wanted us to be together when they met him," she confessed. "I didn't want for their first encounter to be without us."

"So we could make sure Mako wouldn't fuck it up?" Korra joked and Asami laughed.

"Basically, yeah," she finished her wine and then frowned at how far the bottle was from her.

"We still can do it," Korra proposed. "Have control of their interactions with him and all. I mean, if the kids still want to keep seeing him."

"You think they wouldn't?" Asami wondered and Korra shrugged.

"Major didn't look so happy about him, so…"

The two women considered the option for a moment and then Asami sighed.

"Whatever, I guess. Let's bring him for a barbecue."

Korra smiled.

"I'll gather the kids to settle it."

As soon as Korra left the room, Asami got the wine bottle again. Those two months were going to be _long_.


	11. conflict of interests

11\. conflict of interests

"Yeah, I don't give a flying fuck," Major said when offered the option.

"Major!" Asami scolded and the girl shrugged.

"You don't?" Santo asked frowning. "Maj, it was your idea in the first place."

"Yeah… but he's kinda boring," she pouted and Asami smiled.

"Oh, come on, he's nice," Korra counter-argued and Santo agreed.

"He really is," the boy said.

They were all sitting in the living room trying to decide their next action after the siblings had been lectured about looking for strangers without their mothers' consent. It had been an easier talk than expected.

"As a matter of fact," Santo continued. "I'd like to meet him again, know him better."

"For real?" Major asked and he nodded seriously. "You're _so weird_."

"Well, so are you!"

"Kids!" Korra interrupted before she'd have to solve a conflict in her own home. "Let's have a barbecue tomorrow, how about that? So all five of us can try and get to know each other better. I mean, you guys. Though we do have some catching up to do."

"I don't think I've seen Mako in ten years," Asami said, trying to remember the last time she'd been in Republic City that wasn't for business.

"Yeah, something like that," Korra agreed frowning as she tried to remember too. She smiled. "And then we will have lunch with Bo and Opal this weekend, so Team Avatar will all be back together!"

Asami couldn't help but smile too. It _would_ be nice to get everyone together again, to remember simpler times when all they had to do was fight for their lives. This corporative, business, family combo was so much harder than expected.

She didn't regret it at all, it was a fact. But that didn't make it less hard.

"I guess it's settled, then," Asami said with a nod to Korra. "Should I call him or you do it?"

"I can call him," Santo offered and then shrunk in his seat after his mothers' glares.

"I'll call him, it's fine," Korra said, taking her Smarty and looking through her contacts.

"Wait, you had him on your speed dial the whole time?" Major asked betrayed and Asami looked at her.

"Of course we did, silly, he's our friend," she said and they watched Korra walk to the other room to make the call.


	12. quite a lot of history

12\. quite a lot of history

"We went through some crazy shit together, that's for sure," Mako said between laughs and wine glasses. Catching up with Korra and Asami had been smoother than expected. "Your kids are so lucky, you have no idea."

"Whenever we thought that things would calm down," Asami commented. "Something else would come up."

"But nothing tops the conflict of our last case together," Korra pointed out. Mako frowned trying to remember what it had been.

"The Beifongs?" he asked and she nodded. Asami poured herself some more wine and he observed Korra take the bottle from her hand. He sighed, feeling tired with just the reminder of it. "Tell me about it."

Santo and Major exchanged a curious look.

"What happened?" Santo asked. Mako sighed.

"They are so many, and so complicated!" he confessed randomly and looked at the boy. "You must know the story, being Jordyn's friend and all."

"Wait, is this the story of her birth?" Major asked. She looked at each adult. "You were all there?"

Korra and Mako nodded.

"I was assigned for her security," he confirmed.

"And I was a mediator, sorta," Korra added. "And maybe her doula?"

"You never told us that!" Santo exclaimed. "I mean, I know Jordyn was born in prison and that you were there, but the details…"

Korra shrugged. The kids held on to their lemonade.

"Well? How was it?" Major asked.

"Well…" Mako started, scratching his chin. "At first, Kuvira was locked in a wooden boat in the middle of the ocean and the White Lotus was responsible for her security, but then she started to get sick."

"They thought it was because of the sea thing, but she wasn't accepting anyone's help until _this_ guy," Korra said elbowing Mako. "Thought it'd be a good idea to call _me_. I mean, I don't know why, it was not like we were friends, I mean, she tried to kill me a few times…"

"But you saved her life and showed her a different side of things," Mako argued. "And I was right, she opened up to Korra and said she was pregnant."

"It was _very_ awkward," Korra confessed. "We are not friends, and up to this day I don't know what led her to confide to me."

"You don't?" Mako asked frowning. Korra shook her head. "I always thought it was because you have a trusting relationship with the Beifongs and I believe she thought you would be the best mediator."

"You think so?" Korra said with a raised eyebrow and Mako nodded. "Huh. I guess it makes sense. So she told me, and after that I _had_ to tell Baatar about it, and once the Beifongs got word of Kuvira's pregnancy…"

There was a dramatic pause where the siblings looked from Korra to Mako, but who spoke up was Asami.

"All hell broke loose."

Santo and Major looked at their mother as she sipped her wine and then exchanged another look.

"That pretty much sums it," Korra said holding Asami's free hand and smiling despite the tense air. The kids didn't think that Jordyn's birth story would take such a turn. Maybe that was why she never talked about it. "From the moment Su got word about the pregnancy, she moved all her contacts in order to bring Kuvira closer to the family. It was quite fun to watch the police and the White Lotus running around trying to figure out how to make it work."

"They ended up sending Kuvira to Yu Dao, where she was about halfway between Zaofu and Republic City," Mako continued. "I was the mediator between the guard and Korra and Korra between Kuvira and Baatar, because he was still mad about the whole her not minding killing him for her Empire thing."

"She did mind, though," Korra said. "It was a tough call that she had the balls to do. I'm not saying _I_ would do the same, I wouldn't. But I got the chance to know her better during those months and I could tell that she regretted it a little. And when Jordyn was born, I could see the despair in her when she thought they wouldn't accept her baby."

"Why would she think that?" Santo asked frowning. Jordyn was a Beifong through and through, he couldn't imagine anyone thinking otherwise.

"Can't think of any reason at all?" Mako asked with an eyebrow raised. Santo shrugged and Major frowned.

"Blue eyes?" the girl asked and Mako nodded.

"Water tribe blue eyes," Korra said. "Kuvira couldn't understand how it happened and she freaked out completely. I managed to calm her down and went to talk to the Beifongs, who were just as confused, until Toph started to laugh."

"Laugh?" Major asked. "What the hell."

"Yeah, go figure Toph," Korra shrugged. "She was like 'the baby just takes after her great-grandfather, is all', and we were all 'what?'"

At this point, Korra and Mako started to giggle.

"Lin and Su suddenly had this grey skin tone and people stopped arguing," Mako said trying not to laugh. "There were a bunch of angry questions…"

"And meanwhile, Kuvira was desperately crying because she couldn't raise a baby in prison, and if she didn't have a family they would send her to a foster home or orphanage," continued Korra.

"Toph tried to calm everyone down."

"Long story short, that was how everyone found out that the rumors were true," Korra said and sipped her wine. "Toph and Chief Sokka _did_ have a long term affair while he was a councilman."

"Su and Lin were _livid_ , because he helped raise them without them knowing he was actually family."

Korra and Mako kept laughing and the kids didn't know what made the story so funny. They guessed they would never find out.

"And the important thing is that Baatar took Jordyn in," Asami said over the giggling. "She stayed with Kuvira for a few months and was then taken to her father. She was the first baby of our group and she was so sweet that we started thinking of having you guys."

Santo and Major exchanged a smile. Jordyn's story wasn't that bad, and it was fun to know that their parents were important in her narrative too, all three of them. That they were the consequence of their involvement and the reason the three of them looked so proud now.


	13. benders

**Author's note** : You might have noticed that I didn't post on saturday. Well, since my writing slowed considerably and there aren't many people reading this fic anyway, I decided to post only once a week, so expect chapters every wednesday.

Thank you for those who are reading ^^ reviews would be nice, though, even if it's to say that I suck.

See you guys in a week.

* * *

13\. benders

"Santo has nearly perfect grades, did you know that, Mako?" Asami asked. Her glass was full again.

She didn't know why it was so hard to get through that day. She loved Mako, he was one of her best friends, but for some reason she didn't want him around the kids. Was she being irrational?

"Yeah, he told me," Mako said smiling. There was some grey on the sides of his hair, and he looked good as ever. Asami wondered if the same had happened to her too, because she sure had some grey hair as well. "His tech project landed him a first place in RCU."

Santo blushed and played it down.

"It was really hard. I didn't think I could top the other projects."

"Not only you could, but you did," Sami said proudly. "Why don't you go get the paper you submitted to show him?"

"I already explained what it's about," Santo said uncomfortably. "He knows."

"But the paper is so good, go get it," she insisted.

"No," he said more firmly.

"It's okay, Sami, he told me," Mako interfered. "Which begs the question, when are those Smarties going to hit the market? I'm in need of a new one."

"Oh?" she exclaimed. Finally something she could talk about. "End of August, if everything works out. Part of the reason the whole family came is because we're having a launch party at the Water Tribe Memorial."

"That's neat," Mako said and he smirked playfully. For most of the time, Mako was the serious one, but sometimes he let out a joke or two, usually following that smirk. "Now, I'm gonna ask because I know Bo will too, is there a family discount?"

Korra snorted and for the first time Asami really smiled, making sure not to answer him. No, there wasn't a family discount, but she didn't need to blurt it out at that very moment. She opened her mouth to say something else about the new tech Future was planning on releasing, but right then Fraction came on running after a fire squirrel and bumped on the table, making Major drop her juice on her shirt.

"Shit! Fuck!" Major exclaimed bending the juice out of her shirt and wiping it in Santo's direction, and Asami frowned at her.

"Goddammit, Maj!" Santo protested, juice covering half of his face. Major laughed and reached to help him. "Fuck off!"

"Oi!" Asami exclaimed. "Language."

" _What about it?_ " Maj replied defiantly and Asami took a deep breath turning to Korra.

Out of the corner of her eye, Asami saw that Santo was using a napkin to clean up. Major elbowed him making him slap himself and she laughed more. Annoyed, he hit the table letting out a thin blue lightning bolt that burned the tablecloth and shattered the tableware, but before it could escalate, the two of them were covered in water.

Korra.

"MOM!" the two kids exclaimed at the same time, both soaking wet.

"What did we say about bending fights, edge lords?" Korra asked firmly and the two made a face, shrinking a little in their seats.

"Keep it in pro-bending," they mumbled and with a graceful hand gesture Korra bended the water off of them, leaving the kids with messy hair.

"Where you can kick someone else's ass, exactly," she said. "You're supposed to have each other's back."

The kids mumbled and whined, but they stopped fighting, which was the point. The lack of conversation didn't last long.

"Is that how you got a BaSSU scholarship?" Mako asked turning to Santo. "Because you kept your fight to the ring?"

Santo shrugged.

"I liked to play pro-plus," he said.

Pro+ was a version of pro-bending adapted to four players, including airbenders. It was relatively new and innovative, and more common in big cities.

"We used to be a pro-bending team, you know?" Mako said excitedly.

Asami took a deep breath. There they'd go again. She'd be kept out of the conversation one more time.

"The Fire Ferrets," Major said smiling. "You guys are considered one of those one-hit-wonders players."

Korra and Mako made a face and Asami snorted, causing the kids to laugh.

"Look, you little punk, I was still in training," Korra protested. Her career as a pro-bender was a delicate subject for her.

"And I got a spot as a detective, I couldn't let that pass," Mako said defensively too. He side-eyed Korra. "Besides, I'm pretty sure we still got it after all these years."

Santo and Major exchanged a look. It didn't even seem like they were fighting less than five minutes ago.

"It's been a while since you guys played, though," Santo said cockily. The way he raised his eyebrow skeptically… Asami had never noticed how much it made him look like Mako. "I'm not sure you'd be down with the youth."

Korra narrowed her eyes.

"Is this a challenge?" she asked leaning over the table and the kids smiled. "What do you think, Mako? Should we kick some ass?"

"That would be sweet," Mako said stretching his back.

"Is that really necessary?" Asami asked watching them get up and occupy the area of the garden next to their table. Fraction came out of the bushes, done with chasing the squirrel, and sat by her side.

She watched as they got a few buckets of water and Korra bended the earth to form a reduced ring. Asami warned them not to ruin the rosebushes – they had been planted by her mother many years ago -, and they assured her they'd be careful.

"Babe, you'll be the judge!" Korra said pointing at Asami. "Our best sponsor."

The commentary made Asami blush a little. She wasn't a big fan of pro-bending, but sometimes she forgot she'd been a part of it, indirectly. She was never completely out of that topic, and that should count for something. Right?

The match wasn't even fair. Korra and Mako did exactly what they said they'd do – they kicked the kids' asses, and very quickly. Their style was more classic, but they had years ahead of the kids as skilled benders; besides, kicking ass was what they did for a living. They celebrated with high-fives while Santo and Major tried to pick up the pieces of their dignity on the ground before getting up.

"We still got it!" Korra exclaimed.

"I never doubted it," Mako said putting an arm on Korra's shoulders. She looked up at him with a big smile.

"You know," she said turning to the kids. "If you add Emmy to your group, we'd have the Junior Fire Ferrets."

"Keeping in the family, that'd be fun," Mako said. Major crossed her arms.

"If only I would _stay_ in Republic City, right, mother?" she said bitterly and pouting. Sometimes, Asami couldn't believe how much like Korra Major was, beyond the appearance. "Or even come to study here. But _no_ , I'm going to NWTC."

Korra stepped away from Mako's embrace.

"Damn right you are. Gotta work on that healing of yours, 'cause you suck at it."

Major groaned completely annoyed.

"There's the welcoming party tomorrow, though," Mako said reaching out and touching Major's arm, making her look up at him. "We can have a rematch with Bo and Emmy. Maybe even Kai and Rohan would like to join."

Major looked back at her brother, who chuckled.

"I bet Maj would like that," he said. "She has the biggest crush on Rohan."

"I do not!" she said blushing.

"Uh, yes you do!"

"Shut up!"

"Admit it!"

"Major, Rohan is 24," Mako argued, making the girl blush even more.

She turned to Santo growling and the grass around them died as she sucked the water out of them forming the whips on her arms. Santo started to form some lightning to the fight, but the ground trembled and suddenly both kids were buried shoulders deep, before Asami could warn them about the rosebushes again.

"You know, I really like Lin's advice," Korra said scratching her chin.

Mako looked from one kid to another and then at Asami. She knew what he wanted to ask – _how are they so hotheaded?_

Well, the answer was simple.

"Korra trained them," Sami told him and he _oh-ed_. Yeah, that was easy to understand.


	14. everyone's got problems

**Author's note** : I forgot to post? I'm so sorry, is the break. We lose notion of time! But here it is, hopefully you'll like it.

I'm sorry for being late!

* * *

14\. everyone's got problems

"I think we have a problem," Bolin said sitting in front of them with a plate of food. "We've been meaning to tell you guys."

The welcoming party to the Avatar was being held at Varrick's with all the greatness of a Varrick party. Every important person was coming as well as family and personal friends, and most of them were already there. Korra watched Opal get a tofu and soy stick and give it to Gummy, their youngest. Their final count was one earthbender and two airbenders.

There was a poll going on for almost twenty years now, ever since the water tribe heritage was found out, that at any moment some Beifong would have a waterbender, but it hadn't happened yet. When it'd happen – and it _was_ going to happen - they would have all the elements in the same family. Bo and Opal didn't want more kids, but Huan and the twins were still options.

"We?" asked Asami. She distributed salmon and leech for her and Korra.

"Yeah…" Bolin sighed. "I'm pretty sure Emerald is in love with Major."

"What?" Korra asked frowning. "Nah, they are best friends."

"What gave it away?" Sami asked at the same time.

"She kind of told us," Opal said. "I mean, not _really_ , but when it was revealed that Mako is Major's dad she was like, ' _is he, really? So Maj is my cousin?_ ', and we just figured from there."

Asami and Korra looked back to where the kids were, by the pool chatting loudly. Emmy and Maj were joined by Jinora and Kai's 12 year old Latika, and if they looked closely they could see the despair in Emerald's eyes whenever she looked at Maj without the other girl seeing.

They looked at each other and then turned to Bolin and Opal.

"Boy, that's bad," Korra said. "Major is super straight."

"Is she, really?" Bolin asked suddenly curious. "I thought Santo was the straight."

Korra made a face and Asami shook her head neither confirming nor denying, both of them mumbling things like 'debatable' and 'I don't know' as a way of reply.

"Anyway," Opal interrupted bringing them back to the matter. "Should we do something?"

"I'm not sure we'd be useful," Sami replied. "I mean… that's the kind of thing the kids have to figure out on their own. We do know that Major adores Emmy, she was so excited to spend the summer with her."

"And she was so happy to know that they are related," Korra added. Opal and Bo exchanged a worried look. "Look, they are very young. Plenty of time to fall in love, right? Emmy is probably just beginning to figure out her feelings for girls."

Opal sighed. Gummy poked her with greasy fingers.

"Mommy, can I go play with Tegan now?" he asked and Opal looked around trying to spot Jinora's little boy. They heard giggling from under the table and Korra decided to take a peek. She was met with vibrant green-gray eyes and a large smile.

"Well, would you look at that!" she said smiling.

"Hi, Korra Avatar lady," Tegan greeted. His cheek was smeared with dirt.

She gestured for him to come closer and he climbed to her lap.

"Hello, Tegan airbender baby, why were you hiding?"

Korra got a napkin to clean his hands at least a little, and then gave him a tofu stick too.

"I wanted to play with Gummy at the garden," he said and bit his food.

"Is there an adult in the garden taking care of the kids?" Opal asked. Tegan nodded.

"Mr. Varrick has a whole park in the backyard!"

That was typical of Varrick, wasn't it? Go big or go home. It had been that way since their kids were as little as Gummy and Tegan were.

"Okay, you can go," Opal agreed and the kids bolted up celebrating. "You better behave!"

"You know, I babysat airbender kids before," Korra commented. "And I _bet_ they won't behave."

"You think we don't know that?" Bo said, that exhausted air on his expression again. Korra couldn't believe that Bolin was turning into Tenzin, it was hilarious.

The loud laugh of the girls caught their attention again and they all looked at them. They were laughing at something Latika had said, Major with an arm around Emmy's shoulders and Emerald blushing as she pushed Maj away. Major lost her balance and almost fell in the pool, but Latika saved her with a little airbending.

"At least their situation won't ever be as awkward or weird as Ikki and the twins," Opal said with a sigh and Korra and Asami turned to them immediately.

Mako had mentioned that there was some drama going on, but he didn't know how to explain it. To be honest, Sami and Korra were clinging to anyone else's drama lately, anything to forget their own struggles that were starting to show now that Santo was ready to leave for college.

They heard the sky bison before the sun was momentarily covered by the massive animal flying by to land in the plane port that was part of Varrick's manor and where all the animals, including Fraction and Ean's catmonkey Solo were. Korra shot to her feet.

"That's Tenzin!" she exclaimed hurrying to greet him before anyone else could.

She missed him. Lately, they only spoke on the phone. Rohan was the one bringing bison for her when she needed.

The original airbenders – or OA, as she liked to call them – had come on Zippy, Bumi's sky bison, but Bumi was already at the party. He had come with Firelord Izumi. Korra hugged Tenzin as soon as he hit the ground, and even though he tensed at first, he was quick to hug her too.

"Hello, Korra," he greeted and she stepped back to look at him smiling.

"I'm so happy to see you!" she said excitedly. "I was going to the Air Temple Island to visit, but the acolytes said you were gone."

"Yeah, we had to go to South Pole talk to my mother," Tenzin said keeping it vague. Pema stepped closer and Korra hugged her too.

"Is everything okay with Katara?" Korra asked and the two of them quickly dismissed her question. _Katara was great_.

"We just wanted to see if she could help us figuring something out," Pema said always smiling.

" _Stop that, I'm fine!_ " they heard someone complain.

"I'm just trying to help!" someone else replied. It was Rohan and Ikki coming down from the saddle of Zippy.

"I don't need help!" Ikki protested pushing Rohan aside, and then Korra saw it.

Ikki was pregnant.


	15. general picture

**Author's note** : To the guest that just assumed that I hate Mako, first of all - you couldn't be more wrong, but you don't know me, which worsen your assumptions. Second of all, you don't really know what I have in store for this story, which turns your assumptions into something even worse. Third of all, I said from the beginning that the fic was based on the movie, but adapted. You've got to know that the dynamic between Korra, Asami and Mako is different from Jules, Nic and Paul, so you have to figure there would be changes. Just wait, and then hate on me all you want if the fic doesn't turn out how you wanted. You watched the movie, you know what's endgame. And that's basically all you can be sure of.

In the mean time, enjoy someone else's drama while the real drama doesn't begin ;)

* * *

15\. general picture

There were so many questions going on in Korra's head. _So. Many_. For a few seconds she didn't even know how to react as she saw Pema scolding Ikki for being rude and Ikki complaining that she needed to pee. Instead of asking about the pregnancy, Korra saw herself saying something else when she opened her mouth.

"Where's Meelo?" she said after she watched Rohan and Ikki head to the house.

"Fire Nation Capital," Tenzin answered. "The Fire Princess requested his services."

She made small talk, pointed where the food was and let the others have Tenzin for a chat too, before she hurried back to her table.

"Okay, I need answers," Korra said leaning on the table and looking straight at Opal.

"About?" Asami asked.

"Ikki!" Korra said as if it was obvious. "What happened?"

"Okay," Opal said. She was clearly dying to talk about it. Opal wasn't one for gossip, so the story had to be really juicy to make her that excited. "So, no one knows the circumstances, they didn't let any detail slip, but the thing is: one of the twins is the father and no one knows which one."

Asami, who was sipping her wine, started to cough, so Korra absently tapped her back while keeping her eyes on Opal.

"They don't know? None of them?" Asami asked after the coughing stopped. " _How?_ "

"That's the question, we have no idea," Bolin said. "All we know is that when she said she was pregnant the twins had a huge fight, and then the two of them were all over her and now…" he gestured vaguely to the food area and Korra and Asami looked over there.

Ikki had a plate in her hands and she looked annoyed as Wing – in his police uniform – and Wei talked to her. It didn't seem like she was very far along in the pregnancy, now that they were paying attention, but she didn't look very pleased either. They knew that Ikki was staying in the Western Air Temple for the past years, Opal and her family being the responsible for Air Temple Island now that Tenzin was living in the Southern Temple.

Asami turned to Opal and Bo.

"She's Tophing it," she said.

"Basically, yeah," Bolin said at the same time Opal shrugged.

"Bo!" his wife scolded, but he just shook his head.

"What? She is! She's even your grandma's age when she had Lin!"

There was no argument for that.

"I think what annoys her the most is the twins, not the pregnancy," Opal said thoughtfully. "You know, that's why they were in the South Pole, to see if Katara could figure out who the father is and get it over with. I don't think it worked."

"Isn't there a ramification in science that can do that?" Korra wondered, looking at Asami, who nodded, but Bolin spoke up before she could say something.

"Right, but one, don't they have the exact same genetics? How would that be helpful? Besides, can we _really_ rely on that science thingy?"

Asami put down her fork.

"Seriously, Bo?" she asked and he shrugged. Sami narrowed her eyes at him. Korra knew how personal it was for Asami when people questioned her science, even if it wasn't a science she studied.

"Damn, I can't believe we've been missing all of that while we've been away," Korra said in wonder, avoiding the science talk altogether. "What else? Tell us _everything_."

"Uh…" Opal frowned, so Bolin took over. He was the gossipy one anyway.

"Eska's at Ember Island because she hates her sister-in-law, but Desna said that she's having an affair with some fire nation peasant and they are not talking -"

"I know that, tell me something that doesn't involve my family," Korra interrupted. Bolin pouted and then took a deep breath.

"There are three paternity tests going on for Meelo in three different nations," Bolin continued causing a couple of jaw drops. "Ean doesn't want to study in RCU, he wants to go to Capital Tech College, but Zhu Li won't let him. Kuvira might be released by the end of the year."

"Wait, what?" Asami exclaimed.

"Good behavior," he said casually. "She'd be in domicile custody or something for… five years? Around that, and if she behaves, she'll be officially free."

"What about the trial?" Korra asked frowning.

"She has the jury on her favor," Opal said. "The whole Jordyn situation really makes her likable."

"What Jordyn situation?" Sami asked. The couple in front of them frowned.

"You didn't see the videos?" Opal asked. Asami and Korra shook their heads. "What kind of place is Omashu, you guys know nothing about anything!"


	16. rivalry

16\. rivalry

"I don't think my family would ever invest in the Junior Fire Ferrets," Ean said pointing his chopsticks at Santo. "You guys lost to _old people_."

"First of all, they wouldn't need your investments, because they're already rich," Jordyn said coming to Santo's defense. "Second of all, I bet that fight was hardly fair, Korra is the Avatar, and them being older means that they're more experienced benders. _But_ they're probably unaware of the new moves of Pro+. Once Emmy and an airbender join San and Maj, I bet they'd be hard to beat."

Ean stared at Jordyn with a raised eyebrow, his gaze slowly going to Santo.

"What?" Santo asked.

"You two need to fuck already, the sexual tension is annoying," Ean replied casually. Jordyn and Santo got a bright shade of red and started to talk over each other.

"For fuck's sake, Varrick-"

"Shut up, oh my Oma-"

"You're _so_ annoying-"

"Hey, kids," Mako greeted appearing out of nowhere and interrupting their discussion, though Santo and Jordyn were still blushing. He put a hand on Ean's shoulder, who looked at it and up at Mako's face with clear interest. "I hope your father doesn't get too mad if we bend a Pro+ ring in your cricket field, Ean."

"Uh, I bet he will," Ean replied. "But I also think no one would mind seeing you play again, he talks wonders about the time the Fire Ferrets could take it all – but didn't."

Santo snorted a laugh and Mako turned to him crossing his arms defiantly. He and Santo were the same height, with the same black hair and fair skin, the same lean arms and muscled shoulders, but the kid had his mother's eyes. With the United Nations and the harmonic convergence it became more and more common to find mixed kids all around – kids that looked like earthbenders, but were actually airbenders, like Kai's and Opal's, and kids who had everything to look like legit waterbenders but something was off, like his Major with golden eyes.

Mako narrowed his eyes at his thought. That wasn't right, he knew the kids for less than a week, he had no right to say that Major or Santo were his.

"Goddammit, Santo, look at you!" Kai said excitedly. Where did all those adults come from? He tussled Santo's hair playfully and shook the kid a little, and then put an arm around Mako's shoulders. "The resemblance, man, I'm shook."

"I don't know, he looks like Sami to me," Mako replied and raised an eyebrow at Santo. Kai shrugged.

"If you think so," he said. "Are we really playing later? Show those kids how it's done?"

"You bet," Mako said with a nod.

"Look, Pro+ is my jam, old man," Santo said with a confidence he only had when it came to sports. "We'll see who'll kick whose ass."

Kai and Mako exchanged a look that pended between impressed and defiance.

"Challenge accepted, kid," Kai said with his chin high. "Now, did any of you see Tegan? I was supposed to be taking care of him. Don't tell Jinora I lost him."

They all laughed.

"I saw him with Gummy running to the backyard gate about 15 minutes ago," Jordyn pointed and Kai nodded.

"Thank you, lil' K. Very helpful."

He headed to the gate and Mako left them too, heading to the adults' table.

"I really dislike it when they call me lil' K," Jordyn complained.

"You know," Ean talked over her. "Chief Mako really gives me DILF vibes."

"Ean, get out of here," Santo said firmly.

"It's my fucking house!"

"Ean," Jordyn said firmly. She got Santo's half-full cup and put it and hers in Ean's hands. "Refill, please."

"If you wanted some privacy, _you just had to ask_ ," he said as she stepped away and Santo rolled his eyes.

"Why is Ean so fucking sexualized, that's a mystery to me," Jordyn said brushing her hair back. "Not everything is about wanting to fuck someone, you know?"

Santo nodded and looked over at the pool, where his sister was talking to Rohan. Latika was on his back.

"Yeah, of course," he said.

He saw Major point at where he was and then she, Emmy and Rohan with Tika came in their direction. Santo poked Jordyn and pointed at them.

"What is that story I'm invited to a Pro+ game?" Rohan asked as soon as he was close enough and Latika slid from his back to the ground.

"Yeah, it was m-uh, Mako's idea," Santo replied greeting the airbender with a firm handshake. "Kai will play for them."

"Ohh, Kai plays dirty, you guys will need me," Rohan said with certainty. Major nodded dreamily looking up at him, but Santo wasn't sure Rohan was aware.

"My daddy doesn't play dirty," Tika protested and her uncle put a hand on top of her head.

"Oh, child, the innocence."

Tika pouted at him defiantly. It was really cute, actually.

"Count me in," Rohan said firmly, and then he turned to Major. She was still looking up at him with those mesmerized golden eyes. He pushed her bangs to the side and then bopped her nose. "We're gonna _crush_ them."

It seemed that Major's brain needed a few extra seconds to process what he had just said, because he already had turned his back and walked away with his niece when she said-

"Yeah, we will. We will."

Maj sighed, her eyes following Rohan's every step, and Santo exchanged a look with Jordyn, who was trying hard not to laugh. He turned to his sister, then.

"Illegal, Major," Santo said making her stop and blush.

"Fuck," she mumbled clearly embarrassed and avoided looking at her brother. "I'll… uh-"

She walked away without another word and Emmy looked at them uncomfortably.

"Still three years to go, sis!" he shouted and she gave him the finger. Jordyn slapped his arm.

"Don't be mean," she scolded him, which was something only someone without siblings would say.

From the Team Avatar table, the adults observed the scene. Mako by Asami's side sipped a beer.

"She really has a crush on him, doesn't she?" he asked and all the others confirmed. He shook his head. "Poor thing, Tenzin's kids are all heartbreakers."

They agreed.

"Except Jinora, she's the only one who turned out okay," Sami observed.

That too was true.


	17. one little slip…

17\. one little slip…

A pile of paperwork defied Avatar Korra on top of the Chief of police desk and she sighed dramatically, pulling the one at the top to sign and add to an equally tall pile by her left. She read the report quickly, trying to retain as much as possible before she added her name on the corner above Mako's and a couple of other officers'. The door slid open and Mako joined her. Korra sighed once again.

"Nothing like Mondays, am I right?" she said signing the report with extra force for emphasis. Mako sat in front of her smirking. "Why the smugness?"

"I always wonder," Mako said. He had a thick folder in his hand and he rested it on the desk. "If there was ever an Avatar as hot-headed as you."

Korra shrugged.

"Kyoshi was a boss ass bitch, but I didn't really get to know her well," she said, a hint of sadness in her voice. "I guess I'll never know."

Words could not express how helpless Korra felt about losing her connection with her previous lives, especially being so close to Avatar Aang's family and friends. She wished she could offer an extra comfort for them, but it was gone forever.

"Did you ever look for them in the spirit world?" Mako asked and she looked at him puzzled. "Kai told me that Jinora met Avatar Aang there a few years ago in one of her meditation things. He said she was inconsolable after, but glad."

Korra thought about it. Nora never told her about this, but she guessed it was rather personal. How did she never think about seeking out for the past Avatars like that before?

"I guess…" she said frowning. "I guess that when I almost lost Raava – and lost the connections in the process – I assumed that they were gone for good, I didn't think it was just my direct line that was broken."

Mako nodded in understanding. He had been there to her recovery, even if they'd been a little stranded at the time, fresh out of a break up. Together, they were good at setting fires and bad at putting them out, it was a wonder how they still gel so well.

He opened his folder, she moved on to the next report and in comfortable silence they got back to work. For him, revision of a freshly closed case of stolen cargo at the bay area, for her, updates on a decade long cold case that haunted the four nations. Everything was important and overwhelming.

And to think that Asami didn't know how the Avatar's work could ever be boring.

Korra scoffed at her papers, catching Mako's attention and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Can we at least turn the radio on?" Korra requested and Mako stared at her for long seconds in stunned silence. "Come on, Mako, it's the Summer League."

"Do you regret not letting Santo go for it in BaSSU? The kid is good."

"He is, isn't he?" she replied with a soft smile. "We gave him hell, but he's got something in there."

"Talent, and a hard ass sifu to drill him into perfection," Mako added pointing at her. Korra smiled and something about her got softer.

"We made a deal, Sami and I," she told him. "We decided that we would prioritize. Santo is a little genius and his mind has got to be stimulated, so I am more than willing to push his science side just like Asami does. And then, when he excels at that, he can go for sports. Who knows? He'll only be available to be drafted in his fourth year of college anyway."

"Drafts…" Mako wondered. "That's so different from our time. Thanks to the Spirits we didn't have drafts back then, otherwise…"

"We wouldn't even have met," Korra completed the thought and nodded.

She didn't have to add about the kids, they were consequences, but it was a fact that nothing would ever come to happen if the Fire Ferrets weren't playing when Korra arrived in town, if she…

…wasn't interested in Mako and his awesome firebender moves. Korra had been the catalyst, but everything that happened with her group of friends happened because of Mako. That was why he was the right choice to father their kids. Well, at least the reason that mattered the most for Korra.

He turned the radio on in a low volume and they proceed for the rest of the morning in silence, the Avatar's pile of paperwork thinning quickly as she listened to the Junior match. The excitement of the game didn't take away the coat of uneasiness that came from that cold case. Korra didn't like how much it resembled the doings of the Red Lotus. By the time they could leave for lunch, at least she had finished that first pile.

"Do you think I can take some of these home to keep reading?" Korra asked when she saw Mako getting up. He nodded.

"I don't see why not. You have a lot of reading to do for at least a month. And that case is dead ass frozen anyway. They've been inactive for a while now."

"They are creepy," Korra said worriedly. "Why didn't you tell me about it before?"

"Ikki was looking into it with Wing, they were really close to finding the gang, but…" Mako said and made a "PUFF" gesture that made her sigh. Damn, now she was curious. That operation seemed huge, how could it go cold all of a sudden? "Some of the files are in my place, we have boxes and boxes of evidence and reports. Maybe you could swing by to get them."

"That's a good idea. You think Ikki will officially join the police?" Korra asked randomly.

"With Beifong here? Not a chance." Mako said. "I think she missed the timing though. If she had more autonomy, say, ten years ago, I bet she would."

"She studied for it," she observed and he shrugged.

"I think she likes to be a P.I., though," he observed. "Away from her siblings' shadows."

Korra got up too; her stomach growled reminding her it was lunch time.

"Can you believe we used to babysit them?" she said incredulously. "Now Jinora has two kids, Ikki has one on the way and Meelo probably has a bunch of others."

"And our daughter has a thing for Rohan." He added.

"Which is not good at all." Korra sighed, a hand on her forehead. "Damn, Mako, we're _old_."

"… _Carter has the upper hand with that street airbending style and she's pushing the Cloaks out of the ring one by one!_ " the narrator shouted excitedly on the radio. " _That's unbelievable, ladies and gentleman, I've never seen anything like it since Avatar Korra and Mako from the long gone Fire Ferrets. Dear Spirits, that's some ancient history._ "

" _You're letting your age show, Moe,_ " the commentator said laughing.

" _What can I say, Vic, I'm old school!_ "

Korra and Mako exchanged a look and inevitably started to laugh. Mako put a hand on his chest theatrically offended.

"Ancient history, that's harsh!" he exclaimed and Korra laughed more. It took them a couple of minutes to be able to talk again. "Look, there's a big game tonight, why don't you, Sami and the kids come over to my house? You can get those files and we can watch it on the radiovision."

"That depends," Korra said crossing her arms, her hip to the side mockingly. "Is your RV in color? Because if not, we'll stay in our place, thank you very much."

"I'll let you know that it was a gift from the Varricks," he said offended. It took Mako all his will not to give her the tongue. Sometimes it was hard to keep it grown up with Korra. "You know, like your damn Future Smarties."

"Well, if that's so, I think we have a date, then," she said clapping her hands excitedly. "What time?"

"That depends if you want egg sandwiches and beer for dinner."

"Healthy," she joked and he shrugged. "Get some juice for Maj, she doesn't like to have water with food. How about 7?"

"Will do. But don't be late, the game is at 8."

"Yes, Chief," Korra mocked and then punched his arm lightly. "I guess I'll see you later, then," she said stepping closer for a quick embrace.

Except that Mako went for a kiss on the cheek, so they both changed direction in the middle of the movement and ended up with an awkward peck on the lips.

"Wow," Korra exclaimed at the same time as Mako jumped back saying-

"That's awkward."

"When isn't it awkward with us, huh?"

"I can think of one time it wasn't."

They looked at each other after Mako said that and Korra felt her cheeks grow warm. Oh, yeah, that time fifteen years ago. Of course. She needed to change the subject.

"Uh…" she began stepping towards the door. "I'm gonna go."

"Okay, sure. See you later, though?"

"Of course. 7 o'clock."

Korra got a cab in front of the police department and went back home blocking her mind from any memory of those three days and of the three seconds that just happened in the Chief's office. It was better to let it go.


	18. …and it all goes to sh-t

18\. …and it all goes to sh*t

"Point me to the beer!" Korra said as soon as Mako opened the door, ignoring his confused look. He was biting on a toast and it fell on the floor when she passed by him.

"Where's everyone else?" he asked closing the door. Mako got the fallen toast from the floor before he followed Korra to the kitchen. She'd never been there before, but the apartment was small, easy to figure out. "I thought this was a family meeting."

Korra looked at him with that smile that meant "Oh, Mako, you think we're family? All of us?" and he made a face realizing his mistake.

"You know what I mean."

"Well, Asami had a business meeting tonight that she didn't bother to tell me-" Korra began to explain.

"That doesn't sound like Asami at all," Mako interrupted frowning.

"You don't know her like I do," she replied and then sighed. "Okay, there might be a chance she mentioned or put it on the schedule board, but I didn't think it was _tonight_. And of course I couldn't go with, because I keep interrupting them or something? I just want to make sure I understand what they are talking about! Santo doesn't mind explaining to me."

She also mumbled something, but Mako couldn't understand her because his head was inside the fridge analyzing everything he had. He went to the market after work and got some food, but his fridge's contents still were mostly beers and eggs.

"Can I have that beer now?" Korra requested and he got one, handed it to her.

"I have… bread, eggs, bacon, ham, mustard, pickles… cheese…"

"Those don't harmonize with beer at all," Korra said casually and Mako turned around to look at her.

"People harmonize beer with food? I thought it was a wine thing."

Korra smiled.

"That's why we let Bo and Sami go to the fancy meetings and you and I stay in eating Fire Crackers. Hey, do you have those?"

" _Do I-_ " Mako scoffed and opened a cabinet revealing an impressive display of crackers in several flavor options. "You underestimate me, Avatar Korra."

"Yes!" Korra exclaimed, one fist up. "We have dinner."

She chose a flavor and Mako chose another before they got three beers each and headed to the RV room.

"Were you responsible for Santo's obsession with these too?" Mako asked as they sat down the sofa.

"Afraid I am," Korra admitted. He turned the RV on, it already was on the sports channel and they were finishing transmitting a swimming competition. "Water marathon? Where is that thing happening?"

"Kyoshi Island, I think?" Mako answered popping his beer open. "Where are the kids anyway?"

Korra made a face.

"The gymnasium," she said bitterly. "Apparently, Varrick got them last minute VIP tickets for tonight's games, but not enough so I could come with."

"Ooooh, you're jealous!" he said with a mix of surprise and amusement.

"Of course I am! And it's not even because I wanted to _watch the game_. I'm the mother fucking Avatar and I can't even afford a couple of tickets for a summer league game! Summer league, Mako!"

"I thought you guys were rich," he said confused.

"It's not a money thing, it's an _I'm-sorry-Avatar-Korra-we're-sold-out thing_. They were sold out since before we came! You don't think I checked? I love the summer league, it's terrible and awesome."

"That's why it sells out," Mako said agreeing with her.

"Then how the fuck Varrick managed to get last minute tickets for _six_ people?"

Good question actually. The only answer Mako could probably come up with was-

"It's Varrick."

Korra sighed defeated.

"Damn Varricks," she said with her head low.

"Cheer up, Korra, come on," Mako said clinking his beer on hers and he was glad to see a ghost of a smile on her face. "There, looks like that Swamp kid is going to win the marathon."

She turned to the RV pouting and then shrugged.

"They do make awesome RVs though," she admitted.

They watched the medal ceremony of the marathon (golden for the Swamp girl, silver for an Earth Kingdom veteran and bronze for the Water Tribe prodigy), and then the transmission of the Pro+ game began. The narrator and commentators talked about the teams, pointing out players that could be hits in the regular season, and then the reporter started interviewing some athletes and important people.

"Hey, that's the kids!" Mako exclaimed pointing at the RV.

"Where?" Korra asked, though it was easy to spot them a few feet behind the person being interviewed – Santo, Major, Jordyn Beifong and Ean Varrick with his parents. "I can't _believe_ it! Now they are on RV too? How fair is that?"

"You hate public appearances, Korra," he reminded her and she scoffed.

"Just most of the time, but this is cool! Those damn lucky kids!"

"At least they won't be interviewed," Mako said shrugging and Korra hummed. He got up and gathered all the empty bottles on the floor. "I'm gonna get more beer, do you want some?"

Korra shook her head.

"Nah. I think I want some real food, though. How about we make some scrambled eggs?" she suggested turning on the sofa to look at him.

"Sounds good!" he agreed. Looked like they would have egg sandwiches after all.

Mako put the bottles under the sink and then started getting from the fridge everything that was necessary to make a messy scrambled eggs recipe. Korra joined him, helping put everything on the counter.

"I was meaning to tell you," Mako started avoiding looking Korra in the eye. "About earlier today… you know? The… accidental kiss?" he looked up just enough to see her nodding. She wasn't looking straight at him either. "It… won't happen again."

"Yeah, of course!" Korra jumped to agreeing. "I mean, we had our time and now things changed, and we just, you know, this is not an option."

"Exactly," he said firmly. "We are friends, good friends. We should keep it that way."

"No doubt," she said just as certainly and then their eyes met.

And then-

Everything went to shit.


	19. snow ball

19\. snow ball

The phone had been ringing nonstop for three minutes straight already, and it didn't matter how many times Mako tried to convince himself saying out loud that whoever was trying to reach him would give up, it didn't seem to be the case – whenever the phone stopped for a little longer, soon it rang again.

Tangled on him and the sofa rug that they had put on the floor, Korra gave up first with an elbow on his ribs.

"Go get it already," she said and Mako sighed getting up. Okay, fine.

"Coming, my goodness," he complained finally reaching the phone and picking it up. "What?"

"Chief! Are you watching?"

"Watching what, Wing? Are you slacking off?" Mako asked. He was not on duty, but he couldn't have his officers bailing the job for a game, Beifong would eat his liver raw if she knew.

"No, Chief, I swear! It's just… it's all over the news, and we are getting calls… it's only a matter of time until they find you."

"Me?" Mako exclaimed confused. "Who's gonna find me and why?"

Someone said something on Wing's side and Mako took the time to look at the RV. They had muted it, and Korra was sitting behind the couch, but the way Mako's eyes widened when he saw Santo being interviewed was enough to catch her attention. Korra didn't bother to cover herself, she just jumped over the couch, grabbed the remote control and turned the volume up. Finally, Wing spoke up again.

"They are showing it again, now that it's the break," he said.

"Yeah, I'm watching. Thanks for the heads up," Mako said, part of his phrase cut for he hung up.

"… _really enjoying Republic City_ ," Santo was saying. " _I'm looking forward to the college league and the Pro+ regular season._ "

" _Now, Santo Sato, you're part of one of the most influential families of the world. One of your moms is the_ Avatar _, for crying out loud. Korra and Asami did big things in this city. How do you and your sister manage this busy life?_ "

" _Well, you know… we just… follow the rules, I guess and do our best-_ "

" _No, we don't,_ " Major interrupted. " _He does, I don't._ "

Mako snorted.

"And you were thinking no one would like to interview the kids," he commented over Major's answer. The phone started ringing again, but Mako ignored it. He told Wing that he was watching it already, what did they want?

" _I think it's gonna be easier now with our father around,_ " Santo said when the mic was back to him. There was a quick silence from the reporter's side, but she recovered in record time.

" _Are you saying that you have contact with your father now? We thought it was just you two and the Super Dope Moms._ "

" _Well, we have a super duper dad too,_ " Major said. " _He taught me some rad bending movements the other day._ "

" _Yeah, and we only met him recently, so we're kind of doing this intensive get-to-know-me thing._ "

" _Who_ is _that mysterious dad?_ " the reporter asked. " _Is he known?_ "

"Oh no," Korra groaned.

" _Yeah,_ " Major said.

The phone kept ringing. Mako felt tempted to yank it from the line.

On the screen, Santo shrugged.

" _It's Chief Mako_ ," he said.

" _Wait, are you allowed to say that?_ " Jordyn asked appearing on Santo's other side.

" _I don't know,_ " he said. " _It's not like it's a big deal._ "

"It's such a big deal," Korra groaned sliding from the sofa and getting her shirt from the floor. "Asami is going to completely flip out!"

The phone went silent for a few seconds and then it started ringing again, so Mako and Korra turned at the same time and sent fire balls at it. It quieted down.

"I think I'm gonna get you that Smarty," Korra said putting on her pants and then throwing his at him. He caught it easily and started to get dressed too.

"No need," he said, eyes glued to the screen. Jordyn was being interviewed now. "I have a stack of phones because I keep burning them."

Korra scoffed.

"Really?"

"They are annoying."

"… _your mother, do you have any hopes at all that she'll be released?_ "

" _My mom served twenty years, I think it's about time the state listens to her and see how she's changed…_ "

Mako sighed dramatically. That was just the icing on the cake, the kids spilled about their blood connection and Jordyn was campaigning more for her mother.

"I thought Baatar taught her better about the things Kuvira did," Korra commented and Mako scoffed.

"He did, but Jordyn is a dreamer, idealist. Tell her off to see."

"When did this start?" she asked. "Opal said it was on RV, but I haven't heard about Kuvira in years."

"I have the tape somewhere," Mako said nodding. He looked around his messy living room, boxes filled with cold cases and photographs. "I don't know where."

Someone started knocking insistently on the door, so Mako hurried to put on a shirt while Korra busied on checking the tapes in a box by the RV. The door was only ajar when it got kicked open and none less than Asami walked in, angry as a bull.

"WHAT THE FUCK just happened?" she demanded and Korra gulped.

That was not going to end up well.


	20. struggle

20\. struggle

If there was one piece of advice that Asami hated to follow, it was the one about not taking Korra to corporative meetings. In part, it happened because Future Industries was based in an Earth Kingdom city, but in part it was because Korra was a distraction. The Avatar was dearly loved everywhere she went, but not among those corporative people with talks of money and technology.

Being honest, Asami feared that she was to blame. From the get go, she and Korra agreed on supporting each other, but also divided their "professional lives" very specifically – leave the all-powerful Avatar work to the Avatar, and leave the practical work for Asami. Yes, they were a team of badass fighters, but their jobs were different.

Therefore, at some point they stopped going into details about the things they had done during the day; Korra didn't provide much information as to why she needed sky bison to go somewhere, Asami didn't explain the latest research her company was working with and so life kept going.

Consequently, Asami was all alone at the dinner with shareholders when a journalist approached her with the most infamous question she'd have to answer that night.

"Mrs. Sato, Enkh from RC Extra," the nosy reporter said approaching with a recorder in hand. "What do you have to say about the deal with Chief Mako about raising your kids?"

She frowned at his question, not really understanding what he meant.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You already are well known not only because of your innovative technology, but also because of your forward thinking, coming as far as embracing the airbenders' free love style of life," Enkh continued, as if she had provided him an answer for his first question. "How does the dynamic between you, Avatar Korra and Chief Mako work?"

Asami frowned at him. Why in heavens was she being questioned about Mako?

"Mako is our friend," she said slowly. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Sato, but he clearly is more than a friend, at least according to your son," the reporter said and a cold chill went up Asami's back. "After all, he revealed on national vision that the Chief is father to both your children."

"Santo said that?" she asked, just to make sure.

"He did. Is that true?"

For a moment, every sound was muffled as the gears worked in Asami's head. They had never fully disclosed on the "secret" of the paternity after the kids would meet Mako, mostly because Asami never thought that she would have to introduce him as their father, but it was understood amongst the adults that the fact wouldn't be broadcasted.

Perhaps, she wondered way too late, they should've made it clear to the kids too.

She needed to do something.

"Mrs. Sato?" Enkh, the reporter called. She supposed he'd been trying to get an answer out of her for a while now, and she hadn't been responding, because she wasn't listening. "Do you want me to repeat the question?"

Asami looked at her watch. Korra said that she would be at Mako's watching the game, and being so she probably had seen that interview already, and she was probably as freaked.

In her pocket, Asami's Smarty vibrated and she picked it up hoping that it was Korra, but it actually was Major.

"Excuse me," she said, stepping away and picking up the call. "Hello?"

" _Mom!_ " Maj exclaimed. The noise of the gymnasium almost engulfed her voice. " _I think we've made a huge mistake._ "

"How come?"

" _It's madness here!_ "

"Major, what happened?"

" _The reporters are all over us, I don't know why!_ "

"You don't?" Asami poked and for a couple of seconds it was only the crowd of the gymnasium on the phone.

" _Santo… told someone about Mako, and now everyone wants to know about him. Us. Well, mostly you and Mom, really_."

See, that was what Asami wanted to avoid. It already had been hard enough to establish respect being a same-sex couple, harder when the kids came and people asked about paternity. It was hell to be accepted as an unconventional family in a conventional world, and now Mako had been sucked into this madness again.

"Do you understand the gravity of what happened?" Asami asked pacing in front of Santo and Major.

They were all at Mako's place; she had left the party after Maj's call, headed to the gym to get them out of there and went straight there, all the while trying to call Mako and Korra but getting no response. After finding out that they had burned the home phone and that Korra's Smarty was forgotten in the bathroom, they sat the kids on the sofa and tried to explain the mess they just created.

"I'm sorry," Santo said for the millionth time. He'd been apologizing all the way here, and Asami knew that he really was sorry, but she wouldn't mind him saying it a few times more. "I didn't think it was a big deal."

"We know," Korra said annoyed. She was sitting on the coffee table, elbows on knees. "We watched the interview."

"But it is a really fucking big deal," Mako said seriously, standing behind her. "Do you remember how much shit your mothers go through just for having you? They are public figures, _anything_ they do matters."

Both kids seemed to shrink on the sofa.

"Don't you want to be known as our father?" Major asked in a small voice and Asami saw the way his posture softened. "People say great things about you, you know? They say we're lucky, that you're an amazing bender."

"Maj, of course I want that," he said sitting by Korra's side. Asami stepped to his side. "And I want you both to know that I'm here for you, but I believe you guys have enough with Korra and Sami. This," he gestured to them all. "Didn't need to be public, understand?"

"I guess," she shrugged, eyes down.

"We'll have to figure out what to do now," Asami said. "Set our stories straight."

"What, like criminals?" Santo asked looking up at her. She gazed at him and he shrunk again.

"No," she said at the same time Mako said "Sort of," and Korra shrugged a "Yes." The three of them looked at each other and then at the kids.

"See?" they said at the same time and Major turned to Santo.

"This is your fault," she said matter-of-factly and he sighed. Yeah, he would never live it down now.


	21. ugly truth

21\. ugly truth

"How bad did you fuck up?" Jordyn asked standing over Santo and blocking the sun. He was in the backyard shooting fireballs at bottles of beer across the rosebushes his mother loved so much.

"Badly," he said aiming at the center bottle and shooting with precision. "I think I'm grounded for life."

"Might be longer than that if you burn your mother's roses."

"Mom says that results come from pressure," Santo said and then looked at Jord. She had an eyebrow raised at him. "My other mom."

"Okay, that makes more sense now."

He aimed again and took a deep breath, concentrating on the fire he wanted to build and the direction it had to follow, but when he started the movement to shoot, Jordyn held his wrist making him stop and look at her again.

"San…" she started; something in her posture made him relax.

"I think they even considered the scholarship at BaSSU, but I don't know," Santo shrugged. "They are really passionate at me being top of my class in RCU."

Jordyn chuckled.

"Parents," she said taking a stand and eyeing the bottles on the other side of the bushes. "They have such strong opinions about what we should do with our lives."

"They do," he agreed, mirroring her posture. Santo took a deep breath again at the same time that Jordyn stomped her foot, raising a little chunk of earth, and together they shot at different bottles, knocking them off easily. "I just wish that they would _talk to me_ about Mako, you know? I really wish he wouldn't be a secret."

"Right, but that's not your secret to tell."

Santo straightened again, frowning at Jordyn.

"Meaning?"

"Exactly what I said," she said turning to him. "Chief Mako's part in your mothers… thing is something decided between the three of them. You and Major are consequences, but the secret is your mothers'."

"But what about our place in that secret?" he asked genuinely curious. They did give the option to meet Mako after all, and it wasn't as if he didn't understand all the things they went through in Omashu, his mothers being who they were. It was just that his role should be a little bigger, right?

Jordyn smiled at him.

"Think of it in your moms' point of view, how about that?" she said softly, as if she was preparing him for some hard truth, and she rested a hand on his shoulder. "Chief Mako is more of a sperm donor than your father. He might get to 'father level' eventually, but so far… that's not where he is at all."

Santo's mind went a hundred miles per hour with Jord's words, spiraling in a mess of thoughts until it settled on a truth he'd been aware of for years already, but always managed to ignore: to father both him and Major, Mako had… slept with _both_ their mothers.

Jordyn chuckled when Santo shuddered. He knew it was a fact, of course he knew. He also knew that his moms had dated Mako on different occasions, so that wasn't really a crazy concept, but damn if he could live without that knowledge.

"Gross."

"It's the truth," Jordyn replied making him sigh. Damn Beifongs with their wisdom.


	22. honeymoon interrupted

22\. honeymoon… interrupted

The sound of steps approaching their room upstairs were undeniably Korra's, and Asami could tell purely because she knew her wife better than anyone else. That was the type of thing she could brag about.

 _Avatar Korra? Yes, I know her very well_. So well that Asami had prepared everything for her lady that evening. That evening, it'd be all for Korra. She deserved it.

"You're home!" Korra exclaimed surprised. She looked agitated, even though she'd been at the police headquarters the whole day. Asami smiled at her.

"Well, of course I am," she replied getting closer and taking Korra's hand. "I wanted to be here when you got home."

"Why, what's that?" Korra said peeking over Asami's shoulder before she was interrupted by a tender kiss. "Hmm, never mind."

Asami's arms went around Korra's waist and Korra's went around Asami's neck, her fingers tangling in her hair as they kissed, stumbling further into the bedroom.

"The kids?" Korra asked.

"Sent to help patrol the spirit world portal downtown, and then off to Bolin's, we have the house to ourselves," Asami said proudly and Korra raised an eyebrow intently, making Sami's heart swell. Her wife was just so beautiful, it was overwhelming. "Come."

She took Korra's hand again and leaded her to their bathroom, where the tub was already half filled, a constellation of bath salts coloring and bubbling the water in a light blue like her water tribe clothes.

"Get in," she instructed. Korra cocked her head.

"What's this about?"

"Well…" Asami said getting closer and tucking a strand of hair away from Korra's face and behind her ear. "I feel like I've been a few shades of cray-cray lately, and you've been very patient with me, even though you've been through some really hard times yourself. So I'd like to make this night about ourselves."

"Sami…" Korra started, but Asami shook her head interrupting her.

"Get in, I'll turn on the hot water."

"Are you going to join me?" Korra asked taking off her jacket.

"In a bit," she said with a wink, and Korra smiled.

She turned on the hot water, checking the temperature as Korra stepped in the tub, tying her long hair in a bun. Everything was perfect, and they would have the best time, Asami was sure. The schedule was in her head – a bath, a back massage, wine and candles, steak for dinner and-

"I forgot the cake in the freezer!" she exclaimed with a gasp, unaware that Korra was trying to tell her something. "I have to get it out."

"Sami," Korra interrupted her, holding her wrist lightly. "It's okay, leave it."

"No, it's really quick, I'll be right back. Or else the fruits will freeze and it'll be terrible."

"Asami-"

"One second, babe, I'll be back," she guaranteed. "Don't move."

Only problem was that the kitchen was on the other side of the estate, so Asami flew downstairs as fast as she could. She would not forgive herself if the cake got ruined, and the baker of the house had been very specific about leaving it in the freezer for half an hour only!

Panting, Asami got in the kitchen the moment the timer went off, and among her gasps was also a relieved sigh. The whole room smelled of steak and seasoned potatoes. She took a moment to get it together and then headed to the freezer, opened the door and saw that the cake was perfectly fine, the icing a beautiful white Chantilly, red fruits on top decorating it. She had been the one decorating; she made the filling under the baker's instruction that afternoon.

She couldn't wait to share it with Korra.

A buzz in Asami's back pocket made her jump. Luckily, she already had put the cake on the table, or she'd certainly had dropped it, officially ruining the night. She fished the phone from her pocket, seeing that the call was from Bolin, and considered not picking it up, but a quick check up on the kids wouldn't hurt anyone.

"Hello? Bo?"

" _Asami! Hi… sorry to interrupt your evening_ ," he said, embarrassment evident in his voice.

"Everything okay?"

" _Well…_ " he started, but not fast enough.

Through the walls of the Sato estate, a shout echoed.

"THEY DID _WHAT_?"

Apparently, Korra had taken a call too.


	23. viva la revolución

23\. viva la revolución!

From her side of the bench they were sharing at the police headquarters, Major stared at her older brother with a smirk that meant she was up to no good. Santo ignored her for as long as he could – which was more or less three minutes – before turning to her annoyed.

" _What?_ " he asked sharply. The way she kept her cool was nerve-wracking.

"Oh, nothing," Major said with a dismissive hand gesture. "I just love it that you're the one fucking up since we got in Republic City and I get a clean slate with Moms."

"Are you kidding me? You were the first to agree to go!"

"Look, I didn't want to stay behind to have to explain to Uncle Bo that you had to bolt with your _girlfriend_ for a protest at the penitentiary. You know I can't lie!"

Santo narrowed his eyes.

"You _can_ lie! You just like to throw me under the bus."

Major gasped offended.

"First of all, how dare you? After all the times I covered your ass!" she said dramatically. "Second of all, it's the first time you didn't disagree on the 'girlfriend' thing. San, are you finally admitting your feelings for each other? Is that why you want to follow her like a lost puppy in whatever crazy shit she decides to do?"

"Fuck you," he replied and immediately regretted it. A 'fuck you' meant that he had no counter argument for her, and it was really embarrassing when your little sister could get to you like that.

"Seriously, though," Major said putting her feet on the bench, knees to her chest. "You know what Mom will ask, right? What in the hell has gotten into you? Did you even consider the size of the bullshit you're getting yourself into? Did it ever occur to you that Jordyn is out there defending her psycho mother?"

"She's not a _psycho_!" Santo protested and Major scoffed.

"Uh, am I going crazy here or didn't Kuvira like, kill a bunch of people, enslaved some others, and tried to kill our moms? There's more, you want me to continue?"

Santo opened his mouth to protest, but his attention went to the door, where Bolin had just shown up. A lot of cops were greeting him enthusiastically, sharing jokes from when he was a detective as well. Emerald was with him, head low with shame. She had been the most averse to going to the protest organized by a group of college students from RCU.

"Don't get me wrong," Major continued. "I love Jordyn, I think she's awesome. But she's stepping into some dark territory."

"Major is right," Mako said coming from his office. They both looked up at him and he did not look happy, arms crossed as he towered over them, keeping a serious front that was quite scary. "You two had no business going to the penitentiary with that bunch of crazies."

"Jordyn is not crazy."

"You're right, she's not. She's passionate, and she wants to be near her mother which makes her a little delusional," Mako said coldly. Major pouted and looked away. _Harsh_ , Santo could see her saying. "You know what you should be doing instead of joining her in some insane human rights bullshit? Mind your own fucking business."

This time, Major actually whistled, but taken aback Santo slashed at Mako.

"What do you care? You don't even want to be known as related to me, what makes you think you can just talk like that?"

"Because he's the fucking chief of police, stupid," Korra said from the door. Uncle Bo and Emmy weren't there anymore, and his mothers looked completely enraged as they walked towards them. "What in the hell were you thinking?"

Asami put a hand on Korra's shoulder, making her stop. Santo prepared himself.

"I've got this, babe," she said stepping up and slapping him in the head. " _WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING_? You drag your little sister to that shithole to protest for Kuvira's release? Are you fucking stupid?"

Shrunk in his place, Santo looked from his mother to his other mother and then to Mako, looking for some sort of solace that would not come.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I just…"

"Do everything for the pussy," Major completed with a chuckle and if Santo could shoot daggers with his eyes, he would certainly have done that right there and then.

"Major, keep it shut," Korra warned, and his sister obeyed right away.

"It's not that!" Santo said loud and clear. "Look, don't you think it's a little fucked up that Kuvira will be serving for life? I mean, isn't 20 years enough? She regretted it, didn't she?"

"Boy, do you hear yourself?" Asami asked, and even though she made no move in his direction, he still shrunk more.

"No, I don't think it's enough," Korra answered Santo. "When Yakone broke free and Avatar Aang couldn't find him, what did he do? Do you know that story, Santo?"

Pouting, Santo mumbled a half-assed yes.

"Now, Jordyn is an intelligent girl, but she's stupid enough to get involved in this mess," she continued. "You can either support her or help her, and we really think your friendship is a wonderful thing, but if you keep choosing the wrong fucking option, Santo, I swear on the spirits I'll ship you to Northern Water Tribe College with your sister in no time."

"NO!" Major protested. "I just got rid of him, you can't do that to me!"

Santo rolled his eyes and surprisingly, Mako smiled and patted Maj's head. She shot him a glance that meant she was winning.

"Do you understand, young man?" Asami asked and he nodded. "Cat got your tongue?"

Santo sighed.

"I understand, Moms."

"Good."

Major cleared her throat.

"Can we be out of these cuffs now, then?" she asked raising her linked hands and everyone turned to Mako.

"What do you say?" Korra asked him and he raised an eyebrow.

"Me? I say I'm hungry. I was about to have dinner when I got the call from Wing."

"You know what? Us too!" Asami said. "How do you like the deli place?"

"Love it," Mako said. "Korra?"

"I'm starving."

"Let me just get my wallet."

"What?" Major exclaimed looking from one to the other. "Hey! I have a date!"

"A date?" Santo asked confused. All the adults were deliberated ignoring them.

"Yes! Rohan was going to take Emmy and I to the movies. I have a meeting with Anakoni Pali," she said with shining eyes.

"Damn, Maj, Rohan _and_ Anakoni in the same place?" Santo joked and she swooned, hands on her chin. Anakoni Pali was considered the hottest mover star since their uncle Bolin, and Major watched everything he was in.

"Kiss your date goodbye, you're both going home after we come back," Asami said, zero sympathy. "I don't think Emmy will be going either, so you'll have that in common."

The three adults walked to the door and Santo looked down at his cuffed hands with displeasure. So much for wanting a revolution.

"Hey, can we at least keep our Smarties?" Major asked in a last effort.

"No," the three of them answered in unison, their backs to them. Such improvement in their synchronism in such short time.

Major kicked Santo's shin.

"What the fuck was that for?" he exclaimed turning to look at her.

"That's your fault and I hate you."

Pouting, each one in their corner of the uncomfortable bench, the siblings waited in discontent.


End file.
